Most people think their password is “strong.” In reality, modern computers can crack billions of guesses per second. To protect yourself, you need a password with real entropy — randomness that makes it mathematically unguessable.
Why Your “Strong” Password Isn’t Strong
If your password looks like this:
- John1990
- Summer2024!
- P@ssw0rd123
…bad news: hackers can crack it in seconds. Even if you add a symbol or a number at the end, it doesn’t matter. Computers don’t get tired — they try every combination at lightning speed.
The Secret Sauce: Entropy
Entropy = randomness.
The more unpredictable your password, the harder it is to crack.
You can check your password’s entropy here:
👉 Password Entropy Calculator (or Bitwarden’s generator)
Entropy ranges explained:
- 0–40 bits: Extremely weak (can be cracked instantly).
- 40–60 bits: Weak, maybe hours or days to crack.
- 60–80 bits: Strong, safe against most attacks.
- 80–100 bits: Very strong — billions of years to brute force.
- 100+ bits: Practically uncrackable with today’s technology.
The Recipe for an “Uncrackable” Password
Think of your password like a vault code — the longer and more random, the safer.
✅ 16+ characters minimum
✅ Mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
✅ No dictionary words or personal info
✅ Randomly generated, not handpicked
👉 Example:X#2pF9!dLwZ7qRs8
- Entropy: ~100 bits
- Estimated crack time: millions of years
But Wait — Who Can Remember That?!
Here’s the trick: you don’t have to.
- Use a password manager (like Bitwarden, 1Password, or KeePass).
- Generate a new random password for each account.
- Only remember one master password (make that one long and unique, like a passphrase).
👉 Example passphrase:Correct-Horse-Battery-Staple!42
- Entropy: ~80+ bits
- Strong enough to last lifetimes.
Hackers are only getting faster — but math is on your side. With enough entropy, your password becomes practically uncrackable.
🔑 Rule of thumb: Aim for at least 80 bits of entropy.
If your current passwords don’t meet that standard, it’s time to upgrade today.
